The Word Made Flesh
As taught in the Anglican / Episcopal tradition
Exploring the mystery of the two natures of Christ in one person as the foundation of Christian hope.
The doctrine of the Incarnation—the belief that the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, took on human nature and became man in the person of Jesus of Nazareth—is the cornerstone of the Anglican tradition. In the Anglican "via media" (the middle way), the Incarnation is not merely a historical event or a cold dogmatic requirement; it is the fundamental "Yes" of God to the material world.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the technical theological terms associated with the Incarnation, including *Logos*, *Hypostatic Union*, and *Communicatio Idiomatum*, within the Anglican framework.
- **Distinguish** between the "Person" of the Son and the "Two Natures" (divine and human) as defined by the Council of Chalcedon and affirmed in the Anglican Articles.
- **Explain** how the Incarnational Principle informs the Anglican approach to the Sacraments, social justice, and the sanctity of the human body.
- **Articulate** the significance of the "Pre-existence" of the Word and how it differs from the "begetting" of the Son in time.
- **Trace** the development of the doctrine from the New Testament Scripture anchors through the Nicene Creed to the English Reformation.
- **Defend** the necessity of Christ’s full humanity for the efficacy of the Atonement, following the Anglican maxim: "That which is not assumed is not healed."
- **Apply** the doctrine of the Word Made Flesh to contemporary ethical issues, particularly regarding the dignity of the marginalized and the care of creation.
- **Compare** the Anglican "Incarnational" focus with other traditions, noting the specific emphasis on the "sanctification of the ordinary."
Scripture
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